Mail-box.



U. G. GRBGGS & E. H. FALLS.

MAIL BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.10, 1913.

l ,074,7 l 3, Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

Inventors Attorneys URIAH C. GREGGS AND EDWARD H. FALLS, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed oet. mais.

Application led January 10., 1913. Serial No. 741,356.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, URIAH C. Gnnccs yand EDWARD H. FALLS, citizens of the A further object is to provide an alarm.

attachment which will sound an alarm during the opening and closing of the lid of the box.

Another object is to provide an nrdinary push button upon the exterior of the box which may be used as an ordinary door bell alarm when the lid of the box is closed.

With the foregoing and other. objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combi* nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of .the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

ln the drawings accompanying this specication and forming a part thereof, the preferable form of our invention is illustrated, in Whichz i y Figure 1 is a front view yin elevation in which a port-ion of the body of the box has been removed. Fig. 2' represents a frontview in elevation showing the exterior of the box. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit employed.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, l is the back or supporting base Vto which is secured a casing or mail receiving receptacle comprising side walls 2 and 3, ahs front 4, the bottom 5 and the hinged Mounted upon 'the llid 6 is Ithe finger gripI adapted to receive and retain the outgoing mail. A nameplate 9 has been illustrated upon the front of the box or receptacle beneath which is positioned the pushbutton 1Q. The 'supporting back or box 1 is provided with apertures adjacent the corners thereof as indicated at 11, whereby the box may be suitably positioned upon and held to a post or other suitablesupport.

Secured to the hinged lid 6 is the eye bolt or similar device 12 which is pivotally engaged by the linlr 13 of the lower extremity of which is connected to and effects a pivotal joint with. the traveling arm 14 of a switch 15. The switch 15 comprises the rotating or oscillating arm 14 which is adapted to travel over and effect an electrical contact with the button 16 and the button 17. rlhe uppermost button 16 is positioned approximately centrally of the traveled arc of the moving arm 14. The button 16 and arm 11 are electrically connected to a suitable alarm, such as a bell and a suitable source of electricity. The positioning of the button 16 approximately central of the traveled arc of the outer extremity of the switch arm 14 provides that the lid 6 of the mail box upon being raised for the insertion of mail in the box will sound an alarm during the -opening of the said lid when the said lid is approximately half way open. The alarm will again sound upon the closing of the lid and which therefore does away with the' annoyance of the continuous ringing of the bell during the entire time which the lid is in an open position and furthermore thereby saves a considerable amount of electric energy. v

In order that the alarm circuit including the bell and battery may be used as an ordinary door bell or for similar purposes, a button 17 is positioned as the second contact of the electric switch 15 and is so positioned thatA the arm 14 will be in position above and in electric contact therewith during the closed position of the hingedly mounted lid 6. As more clearly illustrated in the dia' grammatic view in, Fig. 3, the button 17 is in an electric circuit comprising the source of electric energy and the sounding alarm bell. Thus when the lid is in a closed. position the push button is adapted to sound the alarm and the said push button is further- -more automatically cut outl of circuit upon the opening of the lid ofthe 4mail box.

In Fig. 1 the battery 18 of the dry cell' type has been illustrated as being positioned within the mail receiving receptacle but it is apparent that the said battery may be located anywhere in the electric circuit.

Although the lid ofthe box has not been shown with any locking means, it is to be understood that the mail box may be pro'- vided with a suitable lock and furthermore that a artition extends in front of and is design to protect the switch operating mechanism, the switch itself, and the 'battery, provided the latter is located within thel mail receiving receptacle. It -is to be noted in view of the foregoing that in order that the push button be connected in operative relationwith the-alarm it is necessary that the lid ofthevmail box be closed. This will furnish a suitable incentive for the closin of the mail box lid should the same be le t in an open condition.

Having thusfully disclosed the construction and operation of our improved mail box, what .we claim to be new and original with us is l. A mail box'comprising a Inail receiving receptacle, a hinged lid therefor,fa two point switch linkedly connected to said lid, one of said switch points `adapted to sound an electric alarm during'the openin and closing of said lid, the second of sai elec! tric switch points adapted to be brought into an electric circuit including a push button,

lat the closure of said lid.,

v 2. In a device of the class described,. a mail box comprising a mail receiving receptacleand a hinged lid therefor, a two point contact switch disposed Withinsaid receptacle, a linked connection between the travel` in g arm of said switch and said hinged lid,

an electric circuit including a source of elecl 'tion of said mailbox and shunting said first mentioned Contact.

3. A sounding' alarm for a mail box comprising a two point switch li'nkedly connected to the mail box lid, one of the points being above the other, an electric circuit including a source ofelectrlc energy and a sounding alarm connected to said switch and to the upper of said electric contact points, a conductor from the lower of said4 electric contact points including a push button and connected to the upper point, said upper of said contact points designed to sound a limited alarm during the opening and closing of said lid, said lower contact point adapted to connect the electric push button in the alarm circuit during theiperiod of closure of said mail box lid.

4. A sounding alarm for a mail box comprising a two point switch linkedlyconnected to the mail box lid, one of tle contact points being above the other, the upper point of saidl switch disposed approximately central of the arc of travel of the traveling arm of the switch, the lower switch point disposed at the lower extremity of the arc of travel of the travelin arm of the switch, an electric circuit inclu -mg'a source ot electric energy and a soundingy bell-connected to said switch traveling arm and to the upper contact' point, anda connection between the upper and lower'switch contact points including a push button, the upper contact point adapted to sound the alarm for a limited Period during the opening of the lid and to Sound analarm for a limited period duringI the closing of said lid, and said'switch adapted to operatively connect said push button with said bell when the lidis in a closed position.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our, own, we have hereto aiiixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

URIAH C. GREGGS. y 'EDWARD H; FALLS. .Witnesses:

GEORGE HAMM,- HARMON l\TEWBERG.ER.A 

